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    • Vegetation Disturbance Database

    Metadata Updated: January 25, 2026

    This dataset is a compilation of forest damage mapped by surveys on forested areas in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At this time, the National Aerial Survey Data Standards require only mortality and defoliation data be collected and reported. However, park staff collect data on other types of damage and therefore, this has been designed to accommodate these data. Due to the nature of GIS surveying, there may be areas within the delineated polygons that are unaffected. For example, an area with a patchy mosaic of forest insect activity may be recorded as one larger polygon by the observer. During surveys, only fading trees (those with yellow, brown, or red foliage) or those with some defoliation are mapped. Older dead trees which have lost their foliage or have dull colored foliage are not typically mapped for two primary reasons: 1) it is harder to see older dead trees that may have lost their needles and 2) it prevents recording trees that were mapped in a prior year's survey. Overview surveys are a 'snap shot' in time and therefore may not be timed to accurately capture the true extent or severity of a particular disturbance activity. Specially designed surveys with modified flight patterns and timing may be conducted to more accurately delineate the extent and severity of a particular disturbance agent. Special surveys are conducted when resources are available to address situations of sufficient economic, political or environmental importance.

    Access & Use Information

    Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Created Date January 14, 2026
    Metadata Updated Date January 25, 2026

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from DOI NPS DCAT-US

    Other Data Resources

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Created Date January 14, 2026
    Metadata Updated Date January 25, 2026
    Publisher National Park Service
    Maintainer
    Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/NPS_DataStore_2206670
    Data First Published 2016-05-16T00:00:00Z
    Data Last Modified 2016-05-16T00:00:00Z
    Category Geospatial
    Public Access Level public
    Bureau Code 010:24
    Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
    Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/nps-data.json
    Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
    Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
    Harvest Object Id ef54f292-6f7a-4521-88da-286f5507e895
    Harvest Source Id d917c1a9-26b7-43ea-b8c5-c77ec750a850
    Harvest Source Title DOI NPS DCAT-US
    Homepage URL https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2206670
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial -84.0139,35.42586,-83.0404,35.84241
    Program Code 010:118, 010:119
    Source Datajson Identifier True
    Source Hash 6d752edd5b8e1bfb5f1b3d0f242d058be3d590c4eacfbc350744c8cd3df93b8d
    Source Schema Version 1.1
    Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -84.0139, 35.42586, -84.0139, 35.84241, -83.0404, 35.84241, -83.0404, 35.42586, -84.0139, 35.42586}

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